


An Errand

by Pegasus143



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/F, Minor Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, Post-Book 2: Crooked Kingdom, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trans Woman Kaz Brekker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27754957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pegasus143/pseuds/Pegasus143
Summary: Inej returns to Ketterdam to find an unusual errand request from Kaz. But what does it mean, in light of everything they've been through and everything they could be?
Relationships: Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	An Errand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [azvin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/azvin/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide! I hope you enjoy my take on trans!Kaz.

_No mourners, no funerals._

The words had sounded so strange on Inej’s tongue as she’d bid Wylan and Jesper farewell. She’d be returning to them soon, and was looking forward to the time they’d get to spend on her ship, but for tonight she had another errand.

On the roof of the Van Eck mansion, she paced back and forth, re-acclimating her feet to the feel of slick shingles rather than the worn wood of her ship’s mast. Even with her slippers – a new pair she’d had made by a Fabrikator who wouldn’t leave her without some form of payment for her help – she could still feel the difference. She wondered if she should have worn her old pair instead, the ones that were made specially for Ketterdam nights.

As she took flight to the next roof, she felt a part of her fade away – the feet that knew only tilting stages, the nose that knew only salty seas, the heart that knew only the quick beats of daring rescues. Because before all of that, she’d been here.

The sky was strewn with clouds, and as one took its turn covering and uncovering the full moon, Inej thought she saw a hint of a figure dressed in white poised on the scrollwork of the Church of Barter. Her heart pounded, preparing her to fight, while her bicep and ribs ached with the memory. She continued on, slower than she had back then since she no longer knew the shingles in the same way she did when she used to come and listen to hymns. She had the sea now, when she wanted the comfort of song.

As her foot touched a loose piece of scrollwork, she made the mistake of looking down, of seeing every bloodied body cut with slices of bright scarlet. _No_ , something inside her said, _you are not the martyr who is mourned, but you are also not the villain, cowering in fear on the final page. You are Inej Ghafa, the girl who defies every law but gravity, the girl who wrings magic from the ordinary, the girl who shows other girls that they can do the same._

It all came back to her, the air and the rooftops once again feeling familiar under her feet: the Geldrenner Hotel, where she’d seen things no one ever had before; the Exchange, where she’d survived betrayal; East Stave, where only she could track someone through the cluttered and noisy streets. It was here, on these rooftops, that she learned those lessons, and it was here that they would come back to her.

About a block before reaching the Slat, she stopped. _This isn’t the same place anymore_. Per Haskell was gone, driven out by Kaz. Jesper was with Wylan, tucked safely away for the night. _As for Kaz…_

She hadn’t seen Kaz, since that day at the harbor when she’d been reunited with her parents. Whenever she came back – she couldn’t _not_ come back, not when there were still people who she cared about like family, not when there were still girls here like the one she had once been -- the others had welcomed her with open arms, while Kaz had only ever sent regards through Wylan and Jesper: a sealed letter, assuring her of its writer’s safety. And now, this time, the letter had also asked for them to meet.

This part of the route was just as familiar as the rest: over to the Slat, and down to a window on the top floor. She’d slip inside, and Kaz would greet her, because Kaz was the one person who always knew when she was there.

“Wraith.”

And with one word, the magic of her memory was broken.

There was still something in Kaz’s voice that was rough around the edges, that hinted just enough that there was a story to her past. But instead of grating like kindling chopped roughly for a fire in Fjerdan winter, it was smooth, like the table she’d ate at with Wylan and Jesper earlier that evening.

“I don’t have all night,” Kaz said, interrupting her thoughts. “And from what I’ve heard, you don’t either.” She smoothed her hair self-consciously. No longer hidden by a hat, it had grown down to her shoulders, though Inej could still make out the shorter part underneath, behind the crown-like mask of the Scarab Queen.

“I believe these are for you,” she said, pulling a handful of tiny daffodils out of the pouch at her waist.

“I believe the audience is meant to _throw_ the flowers at the Scarab Queen,” Kaz said, taking them anyways.

Inej glanced into Kaz’s room, but couldn’t see much past the thick shadows. “You’re ready to leave this all behind?” she asked, knowing already what the answer was. Back then, when Kaz had talked of destroying everything behind her, Inej had assumed it had to do with Pekka Rollins. But now, she realized that Kaz had meant something entirely different.

“I’ve given Anika some subtle prods. When everyone realizes that Kaz Brekker is dead, she’ll be ready to step up. After that… I don’t care what happens. I’ve been investing in the Dregs for years, but now it’s time to shift that investment over to myself.”

Inej nodded. Kaz felt similar to her, then, even though she’d built this place from the ground up for years before Inej had ever been in Ketterdam. “If you’re ready, we should head down to the streets before the crowds thin.”

“I’m ready.” Kaz passed her a bag to carry, Inej’s bare hand barely brushing against the lace gloves she wore. Then she picked up a plainer cane that she’d used for covert errands in the past – Inej briefly wondered how long they’d be in Ravka before Kaz commissioned something flashier – before following Inej along the rooftops and down to the ground near the Crow Club.

“Wait,” Kaz said before they joined the crowds. She motioned for Inej to pass her the bag before reaching in and pulling out a horned mask.

“The Imp?” Inej asked, slipping it on.

“Everyone knows they work together, and it’s one of the easier costumes,” Kaz said, gesturing towards Inej’s gray tunic.

She hadn’t given a thought about how her outfit matched the Imp’s, but she _did_ give a thought to if she should mention the Komedie Brute performance where the two had done a bit more than work together. Seeing the way the crowds moved – like waves in the sea – she decided against it.

Then Kaz took her hand. Even with the lace glove between them, every hair on the back of her neck stood up at the touch. She had no idea whether it was still from old memories or if she was really feeling something in the moment, but after having read Kaz’s letter, she’d realized that this voyage would be her chance to find out.

“There’s no more armor,” Kaz whispered so her voice lost every rough edge. “If you’ll have me.”

Inej squeezed Kaz’s hand before they entered the crowd.


End file.
